AeroAstro, Inc., a leading supplier of microsatellite and communications technologies, unveiled the S 10-20 asset tracking unit at the Intelligent Transportation Systems show in Chicago on October 14-17. The S 10-20 enables many asset tracking and monitoring applications that were not previously possible due to its low price of only $349, which includes installation anywhere in North America. The S 10-20 uses AeroAstro's Sensor Enabled Notification System (SENS) to transmit data from virtually any location in the world through the existing constellation of Globalstar satellites. Users view their assets via a website, which features detailed mapping information along with customizable reporting capabilities. The S 10-20 is equipped to allow a variety of wireless sensors to be attached to the unit to detect events such as a door being opened, cargo tampering, or cargo temperature.

Officials in both the government and the trucking industry are concerned about the possibility of trucks being used as part of a terrorist attack. Trucks carrying hazardous materials could be hijacked or stolen and used as weapons of mass destruction. The S 10-20 is ideally suited for Homeland Security applications:

Offers an immediate solution to many transportation security problems

Gives authorities the ability to locate and recover hazardous cargo

Provides position and sensor information from any location

Easily attached to any tractor, trailer, or container

Inexpensive and simple to deploy

Uses the reliable Globalstar constellation of satellites for data transmission, no back road or remote area is out of reach

The S 10-20 incorporates a GPS receiver, satellite transmitter, microcontroller, and long-life battery pack into a slim, all-weather NEMA 4X package. The unit measures only 8.4" x 5.25" x 1" high, making it short enough to fit on top of a trailer without interfering with operations. The S 10-20 requires no electrical connections to the trailer, and installation is accomplished in five minutes without the use of bolts or screws. The ease of installation permits deployment across entire fleets in a minimum amount of time, allowing maximum ROI to the operator. The unit has a battery life of up to 4? years, depending upon the frequency of transmission.

SENS service is scheduled to begin in all of North America within two months. Service is planned for rollout in Europe, South America, and Asia during 2003.

AeroAstro, a pioneer of micro and nano spacecraft applications in science, remote sensing, and communications, is a leader in innovative small-satellite applications that open the space frontier to a larger and more varied constituency. AeroAstro is again leading the way with the development of the Sensor Enabled Notification System (SENS). NASA, the Air Force, and commercial and university customers have all employed AeroAstro throughout its 14-year history.
For more information about AeroAstro, call Kimberly Kohlhepp at 617-451-8630 x12, visit www.aeroastro.com, write AeroAstro, 327 A Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02210 or e-mail info@aeroastro.com.